A Pastor's Priorities (part 4) Faithfulness Is More Important Than Competition.

This is the fourth priority that Erwin Lutzer mentions in his book, Pastor to Pastor: Tackling the Problems of Ministry. Every pastor knows the feeling of living in the shadow of a larger church in the area, or of being compared to a famous television preacher. Can you evangelize like Billy Graham, can you smile like Joel Osteen, or can you preach like Rick Warren? The success syndrome can attack any preacher leading him to the point where he measures success in terms of buildings, budgets, and baptisms. The “numbers” have to be growing or we are not successful.

I am not saying that we should not strive for excellence or for growth. But we must realize that God is looking for faithfulness regardless of the typical standards of success. Sometimes the “numbers” are up and sometimes they are down. The question is, “Am I being faithful to God’s call on my life?”

Even Jesus knew what it was like to have his “numbers” go down. Many people turned away from Him when He presented Himself as the Bread of heaven.

60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" 61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. John 6:60-66 (NKJV)

People may have turned away from Jesus, but He never turned away from God’s call upon His life. He was faithful to the end. We can do no less. Rather than striving for success, let us strive for faithfulness!